Seven side jobs you can do without special skills

By Kathy KristofSideHusl.com

May 1, 2021 5 AM PT

You don’t need specialized skills to find a good side hustle. If you have a smartphone and transportation, there are plenty of side hustles just about anyone can do.

When making this list of gigs, we had a few criteria: It needs to be a job that doesn’t require a degree, much experience, extraordinary talent, great strength or specialized equipment. We have assumed here, however, that you have a smartphone and ready access to a car. We’ve also assumed that you can pass a criminal background check. (Some work platforms don’t require background checks. But an increasing number do, particularly when the job entrusts you with children or with another person’s safety.)

We’ve also culled the options to get rid of side hustles that pay less than minimum wage. To be sure, anyone can take online surveys and earn about $1 or $2 per hour. But why would you want to? This list is restricted to side hustles that help you make a reasonable amount of money.

Walk dogs

If you’re an animal lover, one of the most attractive and readily available side hustles involves dog-walking. Two online platforms — Rover and Wag — can help you find dog-walking jobs that typically pay between $12 and $15 per half-hour.

Of the two sites, Rover is more freelancer-friendly, charging lower fees and allowing workers to set their own rates. Rover also lets you create a profile to offer other animal-related services, including overnight dog-sitting.

Evaluate

Several sites pay freelancers to check out a product, building or accident scene and report back about its condition. These companies pay $5 to $35 per gig, depending on the time and travel involved.

IVueit matches freelancers with commercial-property owners who want an on-the-scene review of maintenance or repairs. Jobs generally involve snapping a few photos and filling out a short form.

Product Tube pays freelancers to take a video of themselves providing a short product evaluation either at home or at a store. This might involve comparing two types of snack food, for instance, or showing how you decide which beer to buy at the grocery store. The videos are each typically 2 to 4 minutes long.

WeGoLook pays freelancers to inspect cars, accident scenes, real estate and businesses. The freelancer is presented with a brief that details the pay, location and what’s involved. If you accept the assignment, you’re expected to complete it within 24 hours.

Drive

Driving for Uber or Lyft was once a popular side hustle. But these companies are constantly tinkering with their driver terms, and the new rules are rarely driver-friendly. Fortunately, they’re not the only options.

Alternatives for people who want to make money driving passengers include Wingz, which specializes in pre-scheduled trips to and from airports, and Zum, Kango and HopSkipDrive, which book rides for minors who need a lift to and from school, sports and other youth activities. These sites pay better hourly rates than either of the ride-hailing giants.

Zum, Kango and HopSkipDrive do expect you to have experience with children.

Deliver

Delivery options for freelancers include Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats, which shuttle takeout orders to restaurant customers. All three sites offer relatively low guaranteed delivery fees. However, most customers tip, providing average pay that comfortably exceeds minimum wage.

Additional delivery options can be found with Amazon Flex, Delivery Drivers Inc. and Roadie.

Shop

If you can navigate a trip to the grocery store, you probably can shop and deliver groceries for Instacart, Shipt and Dumpling. Instacart and Shipt enlist freelancers to do on-demand shopping, paying a fee that’s sometimes based on order size. Dumpling, on the other hand, helps personal shoppers manage their own businesses, setting their own rates and availability.

Serve and stock

A number of sites promise to find workers jobs in retail, restaurants and warehouses. Qwick primarily connects workers with food-service gigs that pay as much as $30 per hour. Wonolo, Shiftgig, MyWorkChoice and Bluecrew offer a wider array of options. Pay ranges from minimum wage to about $25 per hour.

Baby-sit

With summer coming and many parents going back to workplaces, there’s plenty of demand for baby-sitting services. And gone are the days when junior high kids would watch the offspring for a few bucks an hour. Nannies and baby-sitters can now expect to earn at least minimum wage and, often, as much as $25 per hour.

Some sites where you can land a baby-sitting gig include UrbanSitter, Care.com, Bambino and Sittercity.